The cure for GAS

Hemisaurus · October 31, 2011, 08:47:49 AM

Quote from: bass sic on October 30, 2011, 01:38:41 PM
Ill dream of buying a Greco LP for a few month's, then its off to dreaming about a Gretsch and then back to building a dream bass. If I ever acquire one of these I wonder if my gas will subside?

Quote from: Hemisaurus on October 30, 2011, 02:38:36 PM
I dunno, mine sort of just faded, without getting any of the gear I felt I had to have, I wonder if it maybe corresponded with me playing more, I can't really pinpoint when it just went.

Perhaps the cure for GAS is to play more, or play out more.

Quote from: Chovie D on October 30, 2011, 02:43:28 PM
usually i can wait my GAS out. That said... Im off to find vexter probe pedals today and try em.

Quote from: Ranbat on October 30, 2011, 04:11:32 PM
Hemi, maybe it's because you work on a lot of gear? I know mine has dropped since I started buying stuff to resell.

Hemisaurus · October 31, 2011, 08:52:38 AM

Figured a philosophical discussion on such a terrible affliction was worthy of it's own thread

Ranbat - I've been repairing gear since before my equipment was a Hondo Ric copy and a 5W Selmer amp, so it's definitely not linked to the gear I see, most of the repairs I see now are on pretty mundane equipment.

I think it is the playing out, maybe the more you use what you got, the less you think something else is going to make it better.

That said, I know people that play out, that still have GAS. Maybe it's a proportional thing, the more you GAS the more you should play out, maybe some people need to be on the road all the time to save themselves

Mr. Foxen · October 31, 2011, 09:46:57 AM

I keep thinking I'm near done with GAS. A collection of Vintage valve amps from a 300w Matamp via a ton of Sound Citys and a top bollock Burman, basses I assembled myself, thinking I was done. Then another bass that has a little more comes along. Every time. I just ordered a custom, thinking it would do me, but then Leo Smee of Cathedral sells a BC Rich.

justinhedrick · October 31, 2011, 09:59:01 AM

i've found that if i give it a 2 week rule, my GAS usually subsides. also, setting up all my gear and playing around for a couple of hours usually does it too.

when it comes to the playing out/playing mor thing i think the reality is that you get more comfortable with your gear and how to use it.

i'm actually currently going through and making a list of stuff to sell because i don't use it any more.

The Shocker · October 31, 2011, 11:38:52 AM

Quote from: justinhedrick on October 31, 2011, 09:59:01 AM
i've found that if i give it a 2 week rule, my GAS usually subsides. also, setting up all my gear and playing around for a couple of hours usually does it too.

when it comes to the playing out/playing mor thing i think the reality is that you get more comfortable with your gear and how to use it.

i'm actually currently going through and making a list of stuff to sell because i don't use it any more.

Shit, I wish I could wait it out 2 weeks. I spend a ton of time on the interwebs looking at porn. Either real porn or gear porn. Both have the basically the same effect on me: real porn makes me want to fuck and gear porn makes me want to buy some shit.

Hey Justin, if you got some cheap stuff not worth selling maybe you could post it on the trade thread I'm trying to get going: http://riffrocklives.com/forum/index.php?topic=3369.0

Iron Mtn · November 01, 2011, 02:11:04 AM

My cure for GAS?
NO MONEY IN A SHIT ECONOMY!!!!

bitter · November 01, 2011, 02:34:15 AM

I just have to keep telling myself that there is no way I can fit another full rig into my hot fudge Hyundai.

VOLVO))) · November 01, 2011, 03:01:57 AM

Dean has been saving me for a while. I have his cyclone , and soon, his J Mascis Jazzmaster. Excite!

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

The Shocker · November 01, 2011, 07:39:00 AM

Quote from: SunnO))) on November 01, 2011, 03:01:57 AM
Dean has been saving me for a while. I have his cyclone , and soon, his J Mascis Jazzmaster. Excite!

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

So how are you liking that Cyclone after you worked on it?

Hemisaurus · November 01, 2011, 07:44:00 AM

Quote from: justinhedrick on October 31, 2011, 09:59:01 AM
i've found that if i give it a 2 week rule, my GAS usually subsides. also, setting up all my gear and playing around for a couple of hours usually does it too.

when it comes to the playing out/playing mor thing i think the reality is that you get more comfortable with your gear and how to use it.

How does that 2 week rule work Justin? You don't move on an item for 2 weeks? That's got to mean most craigslist deals are gone, as are the Stupid Day deals?

I can cure my GAS, but I can't cure my pack-rat, I can't get rid of anything either, even the Ashdown I'm suddenly in love with again, after not using it for a few years. If I'd sold it, I'd have missed it, y'know.

I think my cheap rack multi-fx is a good cure for pedal lust, I can 'audition' any FX I fancy.

Amp lust, learn how to change a capacitor, you can alter the tone of an amp just by changing a few bits and pieces.

Instrument, that's a difficult one, I think I lucked out and got instruments I liked first off.

justinhedrick · November 01, 2011, 09:09:38 AM

Quote from: Hemisaurus on November 01, 2011, 07:44:00 AM
Quote from: justinhedrick on October 31, 2011, 09:59:01 AM
i've found that if i give it a 2 week rule, my GAS usually subsides. also, setting up all my gear and playing around for a couple of hours usually does it too.

when it comes to the playing out/playing mor thing i think the reality is that you get more comfortable with your gear and how to use it.
How does that 2 week rule work Justin? You don't move on an item for 2 weeks? That's got to mean most craigslist deals are gone, as are the Stupid Day deals?

I can cure my GAS, but I can't cure my pack-rat, I can't get rid of anything either, even the Ashdown I'm suddenly in love with again, after not using it for a few years. If I'd sold it, I'd have missed it, y'know.

I think my cheap rack multi-fx is a good cure for pedal lust, I can 'audition' any FX I fancy.

Amp lust, learn how to change a capacitor, you can alter the tone of an amp just by changing a few bits and pieces.

Instrument, that's a difficult one, I think I lucked out and got instruments I liked first off.

most of the stuff i look at is either on sites like musicgoround or new gear sites. if i think i want something (say a kustom 4x12 that i fancied from some time from the orland park store) i keep an eye on it and try to do some research. during that time i also give myself ample time with the gear i have to decide whether i could lose a piece to gain a new piece (that's my own personal rule, if i buy something, a comperable piece in my arsenal has to go). that kustom 4x12 is still up there (as of friday at least) and i don't feel like i need it.

i'm odd. it's really just my psyhosis trying to convince myself that i like what i have!

VOLVO))) · November 01, 2011, 10:30:23 AM

Quote from: deaner33 on November 01, 2011, 07:39:00 AM
Quote from: SunnO))) on November 01, 2011, 03:01:57 AM
Dean has been saving me for a while. I have his cyclone , and soon, his J Mascis Jazzmaster. Excite!

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

So how are you liking that Cyclone after you worked on it?

They're still ugly, but man, does it play nicely...

The Shocker · November 01, 2011, 10:44:12 AM

Quote from: SunnO))) on November 01, 2011, 10:30:23 AM
Quote from: deaner33 on November 01, 2011, 07:39:00 AM
Quote from: SunnO))) on November 01, 2011, 03:01:57 AM
Dean has been saving me for a while. I have his cyclone , and soon, his J Mascis Jazzmaster. Excite!

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

So how are you liking that Cyclone after you worked on it?

They're still ugly, but man, does it play nicely...

Come on man. Gibson scale Mustang with single coil and humbucker? That shit is beautiful!

Hemisaurus · November 01, 2011, 11:10:43 AM

Quote from: justinhedrick on November 01, 2011, 09:09:38 AM
most of the stuff i look at is either on sites like musicgoround or new gear sites. if i think i want something (say a kustom 4x12 that i fancied from some time from the orland park store) i keep an eye on it and try to do some research. during that time i also give myself ample time with the gear i have to decide whether i could lose a piece to gain a new piece (that's my own personal rule, if i buy something, a comperable piece in my arsenal has to go). that kustom 4x12 is still up there (as of friday at least) and i don't feel like i need it.

i'm odd. it's really just my psyhosis trying to convince myself that i like what i have!

That's weird, because I find very little new gear appealing, it just all seems so blah and bland for bassists. You can have 101 Fender lookalikes, and 101 solid state microboxes, if you want tubes, they all sound nice, clean and blah.

justinhedrick · November 01, 2011, 11:13:42 AM

Quote from: Hemisaurus on November 01, 2011, 11:10:43 AM
Quote from: justinhedrick on November 01, 2011, 09:09:38 AM
most of the stuff i look at is either on sites like musicgoround or new gear sites. if i think i want something (say a kustom 4x12 that i fancied from some time from the orland park store) i keep an eye on it and try to do some research. during that time i also give myself ample time with the gear i have to decide whether i could lose a piece to gain a new piece (that's my own personal rule, if i buy something, a comperable piece in my arsenal has to go). that kustom 4x12 is still up there (as of friday at least) and i don't feel like i need it.

i'm odd. it's really just my psyhosis trying to convince myself that i like what i have!
That's weird, because I find very little new gear appealing, it just all seems so blah and bland for bassists. You can have 101 Fender lookalikes, and 101 solid state microboxes, if you want tubes, they all sound nice, clean and blah.

my focus any more is pedals or pick ups, or the aforementioned cabs. i'm pretty content with the amp i have now, nice and solid foundation for experimentation.

Hemisaurus · November 01, 2011, 11:24:07 AM

Hmm, bass cabs are pretty blah too

Really, pick up a multi-fx, my Behringer, although not made for it, works fine in an amp FX loop, you can have a Vibe, Tremolo, several types of phaser, flanger, reverbs, Leslie simulation, Fuzz, Tube Preamp, Pitch shift (3 voices at once), compressor, EQ and so on. Even if you never actually use it live, it clues you in on what each effect is going to do for you.

justinhedrick · November 01, 2011, 11:33:20 AM

Quote from: Hemisaurus on November 01, 2011, 11:24:07 AM
Hmm, bass cabs are pretty blah too

Really, pick up a multi-fx, my Behringer, although not made for it, works fine in an amp FX loop, you can have a Vibe, Tremolo, several types of phaser, flanger, reverbs, Leslie simulation, Fuzz, Tube Preamp, Pitch shift (3 voices at once), compressor, EQ and so on. Even if you never actually use it live, it clues you in on what each effect is going to do for you.

i've thought about it. korg used to make a white mult-effects pedal back in the late 90s that i'm sure is pretty cheap now.

Hemisaurus · November 01, 2011, 11:45:22 AM

Those little Digitech things pop up all the time, couldn't tell you how many sounds they do though.

Watch for ones with limited presets though, they may be more annoying than they are worth. I can adjust 10 parameters on each voice (but only use one voice), but it really lets you dial in an effect.

spookstrickland · November 01, 2011, 04:51:19 PM

I think the only real cure for G.A.S is Death, I never get tired of buying new stuff no matter how much I already have. I like A woman with her shoes LOL.

dunwichamps · November 01, 2011, 04:52:11 PM

there is no cure for GAS, just band aids to cover the symptoms

hashbrowns · November 01, 2011, 06:31:41 PM

Honestly I've never been one to fiend over excessive gear. I could be happy with a small collection.. let's see how about ten gibsons, ten fenders, ten rickenbacker basses, a marshall jcm800 fullstack, a sound city full stack, an ampeg svt with a matching 8X10, a hiwatt, a fender bassman, and a martin acoustic.

Just enough to get by.........